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Caledonian Railway 294 Class loco No. 693
Caledonian Railway 294 #693 worked over the Caledonian Network until being transferred during the days of the LMS to the Esthwaite Harbour Network, where the engine, along side a handful of other Caledonian engines were purchased by the harbour master for working the Esthwaite Harbour and Light Railway until the line Sold them off to a Mr. Phoenix who was taking over the closing down lines to keep traffic moving, as the quarries were still producing stone. After arrival, she was found to need a new boiler and frameworks, removing her from action for a good few months until Darlington works gave her the overhaul she rightly deserved. She returned to service only to rescue a failed BR Standard 2 mogul that had a mixed goods train for Barnard Castle. From there, she constantly found herself on the railway's stone trains out of Middleton-In-Teesdale quarry and Lunedale Limestone Quarry. She has also seen turns as a banking engine up from Gainford due to the heavy loads out of North Road yard and Gasworks, as well as West Auckland, due to the fact it climbs steeply over Haggerleases Colliery sidings. In 1959, she was involved in a minor mishap when a signalman sent her into the west bay platform of Barnard Castle when she came up with a local to Belah station. She took down the buffers and stopped, the wall of the station building acting as a second set of buffers. The signalman was new to the job and his teacher had left to "lubricate the old whistle" at the town pub. The damage was a bent up bufferbeam and a smashed lamp. The damage was minor and easily repairable, unlike an incident 4 years later. October 15th, 1954 saw 693 end up in a messy collision that sent her driver and guard of the goods train to hospital. The day had been foggy and the fog blotted out a pair of danger signals, warning her to stop to allow a stone train from Forcett Quarry to cross and clear her path. The engine in charge of the stone train from the quarry was an ex LNER J39. The crew of that train had not properly checked their lamps and set off. Running as a reduced speed, the driver of 693's train, a semi fast from Belah, hadn't seen the signals or brake van until it suddenly appeared. He braked her hard and the fireman bailed clear as she struck the brake-van at a reduction from 30 mph to 25 mph. The passengers made it out with bumps and bruises, but the driver and guard were treated at hospital along with the fireman who jumped. After that, crews called her a lucky engine. Such events; as the gaining of a new contract with the Pyne and Warrborough for importing Fish and other seafood, expanding operations to include the closed down Spennymoor line and even gaining running rights into North Road permanently, as well as owning and working the yard come from her. 693 can still be seen in service, wearing her old Caledonian Lined Black livery. Often times, heading mixed goods, fast trains or piloting expresses. Category:Locomotives Category:Caledonian Railway Category:Mixed traffic Category:Mixed Traffic